Sunset magazine's inaugural wine cruise is as much about what happens on board as it is about the ports of call. The Western lifestyle magazine has selected four Mediterranean countries to visit during a weeklong sailing in August.
Food editor Margo...

Royal Caribbean Cruises is letting another of its older vessels go. The Splendour of the Seas, which was built in 1996, will leave the cruise line in 2016 after completing all of its scheduled itineraries. The 1,830-guest vessel, which currently sails...

Here are some of the more interesting deals, websites and other travel tidbits that came across our desk recently:
Great Safaris has a good deal on its World's Greatest Romantic Adventure trip to South Africa. The 11-day tour is priced from $3,995 per...

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will sell its Splendour of the Seas cruise ship to TUI Cruises in the second quarter of 2016.
The 1,830-passenger Splendour will then be leased to British cruise line Thomson Cruises — the vessel's new operator, the...

You love cruising, but your mate does not even want to test the waters? Tempt him with a themed cruise on a subject he's especially interested in. These themed sailings add value to a cruise as they typically feature speakers, special activities and entertainment. Here are a few theme cruises to consider.
MSC Cruises: Among its roster of themed cruises, the MSC Divina features a four-night "Song of the '60s" sailing from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico, on April 22. Guests will be treated to groovy '60s and...

Ski slopes or sand castles?
Maybe your gang wants to ride roller coasters all day, or cruise away, maybe with grandma and grandpa in tow.
Whatever you choose, spring break is a good time to get away with the kids. Plan smart and you might even snare a bargain. The good news is you've still got plenty of time to get a trip organized.
Here are a few tips:
-- If you are planning to head to sunny climes, consider an air-hotel-rental car package. You can save significantly. Before you sign on for an all-...

I recently returned from a Caribbean cruise, which was supposed to be a lovely weekend with my mother. But what we brought home with us were memories of battered dolphins, beaten-down horses and bald parrots. Everywhere we went, we saw animals who were being abused and exploited in order to empty tourists' wallets.
Travelers with money to spend are the driving force behind "swim-with-dolphins" excursions, horse-drawn carriage rides and beach photos with parrots or iguanas. But long after those tourists...

Here's a new way to get to the Bahamas — eating, drinking and gambling along the way.
The Bahama Mama, a 1,000-passenger cruise ferry, began sailing Thursday from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport.
It replaced Bahamas Express' smaller Pinar del Rio fast-catamaran, which had room for 463 passengers and offered little to do onboard.
Bahama Mama has economy and first class seating, 48 cabins, several restaurants, bars and lounges, a casino, swimming pool and duty-free shopping, among others.
Some...

Hunter safety course
March: The Baltimore County Game & Fish Protective Association will conduct a hunter safety course on club grounds at 3400 Northwind Road in Carney. Class dates are March 18, 19, 25 and 26 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Test date is March 28 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Seating is limited. Register at register-ed.com/events/view/57554 or call Butch Janeczek at 443-695-2565 after 6 p.m.
Pro-Formance Fishing
March 3: The Pro-Formance Fishing Team, based primarily in Glen Burnie and...

How much rock and heavy metal can one cruise ship take? The Monsters of Rock Cruise in April promises to deliver at least 35 bands during the four-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas.
Queensryche, Krokus, Stryper, Lita Ford, Black Star Riders, Tesla and others will be performing on the MSC Divina during the April 18 to 22 sailing.
There are still 34 cabins still available on the floating rock fest based on Monsters of Rock festivals at Castle Donington in England that began in 1980, an announcement...